


Take Care Of You

by orphan_account



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Adoption!AU, Age changes, Baby Exo!, Drug Use, I swear it's got good parts too, M/M, Minor Character Death, OT9 days, Over Dose, Slice of Life, Trigger Warnings, car crash, child abuse and neglect, parents suho and lay
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-19
Updated: 2016-11-19
Packaged: 2018-08-31 20:41:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8592739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Family doesn't have to be blood. Blood doesn't mean family. Some people are born into their families. Others choose their own. Then there are the times that fate steps in and puts people together.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The title stems from this song by Giriboy. <https://youtu.be/fo-pzjI1qLY>
> 
> **CHAPTER WARNINGS:** None

Baekhyun shouldn't have been surprised when a new social worker was waiting for him at the group home. He had grown accustomed to new people holding the folder that was his life. Nothing special lie between the cream coloured folds. A simple birth certificate with what is assumed to be his birthday, with the name he was given at the agency upon his arrival when he was only a few months old. Alongside the legal documents are page after page of contact information of doctors and schools and previous homes and houses he's been to in the past. He's looked at the pages before, trying to find some indication of who he really was or where he came from or why he had spent his whole life in the system. The only answer he ever got from reading was the knowledge that he spent almost a year in the hospital being nursed slowly back to health, after being near starved with a soaring fever when he was left on the doorstep of the police station in December.

"I'm Kim Minseok." The young looking man smiled at Baekhyun when he arrived home from school. "I'm gonna be taking care of you until you get a home."

That wasn't anything new. He had been promised a home for as long as he could remember. Foster home after foster home he had been dropped into, group homes and youth farms, all with the promise that _this_ would be his last temporary placement. Sadly, he had come to accept that he would be past of the system now until he aged out. People wanted to adopt cute babies they could pretend were truly their child, or adorable toddlers who weren't old enough to cause any real troubles. Nobody wanted the lanky twelve year old with a smart mouth that was Byun Baekhyun.

As he packed his bag with the few possessions that he had, he listened to his new social worker tell him about his new home in Seoul. Baekhyun had been to the city before, on class trips mainly, but none of the homes he stayed in came close to being near Seoul. It made him wonder what kind of people he would be placed with now.

He couldn't stop his mind from wandering. Maybe they would be a successful business man and his chic metropolitan wife. Maybe they lived in a gorgeous penthouse apartment that had the elevator open up right into their living room. Maybe they actually wanted him and had a room for him to have all to himself. He would go to a fancy, private school in the city where he would learn to play piano and do Taekwondo and speak English. They probably ate beef every night for dinner at a fancy table with high chairs. Daydreaming about a family was a sure way to get hit with disappointment when you finally arrived, but it was always good way to pass the time. And with the train ride being close to an hour, he had plenty of time to kill.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Junmyeon and Yixing prepare for the sudden arrival of their new foster child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **CHAPTER WARNINGS** None

Junmyeon proposed to Yixing before the two graduated from college. It was a spur of the moment proposal, using his own ring as an engagement ring, but a something he had been wanting to do for years. While the two had yet to officially tie the knot, they had built a life together. It had been years since Junmyeon proposed, and Yixing still wore the others ring, insisting that's what would stay on his finger until they decided to replace it with a wedding band. Marriage wasn't as the forefront of their lives right now. It seemed like an unimportant document, and a lot of money wasted on a party that could be put to better use. They loved each other, they lived together for years, they were talking about and even filling out papers for adoption. None of those papers required them to be legally wed.

When Yixing suggested filing for adoption, Junmyeon agreed, knowing that the process of adoption would take years before they were approved and maybe even more before they were given a child. By that time they would have paid off their student loans and most likely they jobs the desired to have. Junmyeon his own law firm, supporting idol companies and Yixing his own dance studio. Money would be saved, no doubt they would have moved into a more permanent apartment or a nice house just outside the city. But for now they were content with their lives. Yixing worked as a dance instructor with a few friends from college, Junmyeon at a successful law firm, spending weekends out drinking and dancing as if they weren't in their late twenties. 

Junmyeon was used to getting home from work with Yixing asleep on the couch with some Chinese drama eliminating the otherwise dark room. He was thrown off to see the older not just awake, but dancing excitedly to music pumping through the speakers. 

"Baobei!" He screamed, rushing over and throwing his arms around the other. 

Junmyeon laughed, hanging on to the slim man as he was spun around. "What are we celebrating?"

"We've been approved! Minseok called earlier today!" He shouted gleefully over the thumping base of the dance track.

He froze, the older still dancing around him in delight. There was no way that he heard right. Minseok couldn't have been calling about a child for them. Yes, their old college roommate had gone into social work, but there was no way that he was calling to tell them he was bring them a child. That would be...a conflict of interest at best. Biased towards old friends and bypassing other couples who had been waiting much longer. Couples who were prepared for a child. They were no where near prepared for a child. Their apartment wasn't baby proof. They had no crib. Nothing a baby could eat. Both spared bedrooms were occupied, one being used his office, the other used as storage. No. There was no way that Minseok's call was about their child. He was simply calling to tell his old friends about a child that was under his care and Yixing misunderstood. Korean wasn't his first language after all, misunderstandings happened frequently. 

"What's wrong?" Yixing asked, pulling him from his thoughts.

"I...we're not ready yet. This can't be right." He stuttered. 

"Oh, it is though, baobei. Minseok has been given a new case and he thinks we'll be the perfect parents for him." He gushed, smile breaking across his flushed cheeks. "We have a few days before we get to meet him. Don't fret. We'll be ready."

The next two days went by in a frantic blur of constant activity. First thing was clean out the room that was being used as storage. Most of the contents of the room were things they hadn't used in years and ended up getting donated or moved to the storage room to be worried about later. They bought basic bedroom staples and paid extra to have next day delivery, wanting the room to be furnished before their child arrived. A simple bed, desk, and matching chest of drawers. Yixing decided on far to plain bedding, pale blue sheets and a darker blue comforter basing his choice off the one fact they knew. The child was a boy. They would take him shopping to personalize the room once he was arrived and settled. The apartment was cleaned from top to bottom and reorganized to be child friendly. Violent video games and scary movies were put away in the top of their closet and replaced with somewhat kid friendly games. Mainly the few superhero related games Junmyeon already owned.

Even when Minseok called to say he would be arriving in the city with the boy early the next day, Junmyeon still felt as if they weren't prepared no matter how much Yixing insisted they were as ready as they could be. How the older managed to sleep that night is unknown. All night long Junmyeon tossed and turned, worrying about things he didn't even know he could worry about. Schools, what the child would eat, if they bought the right furniture, what would they do with him when they were both working.

Around dawn, he gave up on sleeping and climbed out of bed. His eyes ached with lack of sleep like he was back in college. Stepping into his shoes, not bothering with socks or even changing out of his pajamas, he grabbed his jacket and wallet. If he was going to be of any use today, he would need coffee.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minseok.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **CHAPTER WARNINGS:** None

Minseok never planned to be a social worker when he was growing up. It was the furthest thing from his mind as he worked through school. What he planned to do after graduation was as a mechanic. He had a knack for fixing engines and getting old cars to start. It came easy for him. His plan wavered when his parents died when he was fourteen, causing him to be put into the foster care system. For the next five years, the only person steady in his life was the social worker who took him from new home to new home and checked in on him twice a month. Not exactly the parental figure he lost, but that woman was a thousand times better than a few of the homes he spent time in.

Applying for college wasn't a priority of his like it was for most. A degree wasn't needed to work on cars, or to even own the auto body shop. The only reason he applied at all was because he needed housing after he aged out of the system and he knew that schools could provide housing for students. He put his major as undecided and took general education classes for the first year of college. That's when he became too ante and eventually friends with Yixing, a gifted dancer from China and the law student that was his boyfriend, who might as well have been another roommate he was there so often, Junmyeon.

It was talking with those two that caused him to decide on a major. Late nights that should have spent studying were instead spent drinking and talking, where Minseok told his new friends about the past few years of struggle he had gone through and how he missed being in contact with his former social worker. Having not been adopted or ever placed in a permanent home, she was the closest thing he had to a parental figure for the majority of his teenage years. Those thoughts made his heart go out to the kids who were still in the system, especially those too old to be adopted. Junmyeon was the one who suggested that he could be that person for someone, the parental figure when there was nobody else. After more consideration than necessary, Minseok formally took up the major and signed up for the needed classes.

Years later, he loves what he does for a living and does what he can to do right by the kids he helps. All while still tinkering with cars in the little free time he has. Before he was assigned his first case, he never realized how much of a full time job actually being a social worker was. More than once he had to take a child home with him before being able to place them in a safer or simply different home. After the first child he brought home slept in his bed while he slept on the couch, he began looking for a larger apartment. The second bedroom was turned into an emergency room for his children--erm, cases. Both a bed and a crib were put into the room, along with some toys and a dresser with brand new clothes, mainly underwear, socks, plain sweatpants, and t shirts just incase the child had nothing at all.

Minseok tried not to be biased towards the older children he cared for, but it was hard not to. Seeing them bouncing around stirred up old feelings that he tried hard not to think about anymore. It wasn't his job to adopt the children, it was his job to find them loving homes. Yet there was something about his newest case, Baekhyun. A thin boy who had spent his whole life in the system. The file that was the boy's life was near as thick as a textbook. He was close to saying "fuck it" all together and letting the boy live with him wen he remembered his best friends applying for adoption a few months back.

There was no denying that Minseok was just as nervous than Baekhyun as they arrived outside of Yixing and Junmyeon's apartment building. The lad had been looking around at everything as they rode the cab from the train station. Now he had shrunken in on himself, holding tightly to the strap of his small bag as they walked slowly up to the building. The man wondered what was going on in his head that caused the sudden shift in attitude. Baekhyun had gone through the process so many times, he would assume the lad would seem indifferent by now like most of the older children were.

"So you're gay?" Were the first words out of Baekhyun's mouth after being introduced to the men.

To his relief, both Junmyeon and Yixing laughed, resulting in a smile from the child. Minseok stuck around, following just far enough behind as Baekhyun was shown around the apartment, to observe the situation and step in if needed, but not to cause a distraction. The meeting went better than expected, yet he still felt the need to ask the boy if he wanted him to stick around for longer.

"No. I'm okay. This isn't my first home." He said, putting on a happy smile.

"Well...you've got my number. If you need anything, call me. I'll be back soon to check on you." He promised, knowing he would probably be back sooner than he normally would be to check on Junmyeon and Yixing more so than Baekhyun.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baekhyun gets settled into his new home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **CHAPTER WARNINGS:** None

Baekhyun doesn't want Minseok to leave as quickly as he does. Half an hour to get aquatinted with his new foster parents doesn't seem like enough time to him. It never seems like enough time. He should be used to it by now, being in close over twenty homes in the past twelve years. It never gets any easier. Especially being pulled out of a home he really liked. He had been living with Lee's for around six months and had been loving it for the most part. The Lee's took care of him better than his past three homes had. Not that that was really saying much. Two meals a day, a bed to himself in a room that wasn't too crowded, and not getting hit made for a good home in his mind.

This home--this apartment, was different than any other home he had been in before. He was the only child there, the couple was young, they were gay, he got his own bed in his own room. Only time would tell if this was going to be a good home. If he would even be staying long. The newest of the whole situation seems to appear as a very temporary home to him. He simply sees it as a place he'll be staying for a few weeks, maybe months at the most before he is moved to another home. A drill he knows far too well. Some couples accused him of stealing things, some complained that he was a bad kid, sometimes his old social worker would be there to take him to a new home without any reasoning behind it.

Baekhyun stands in the doorway, staring at the door even after Minseok leaves. Like he is expecting for the social worker to come back at any moment and tell him there has been a mistake. This isn't the home he is supposed to be in. He was actually supposed to be put into some overcrowded house with alcoholic parents and seven other kids all sharing one bedroom or something else ridiculous like that.

"Do you wanna get settled?" The skinnier of the two men asks.

"I don't really have much." He replies, looking at his bag sitting beside the door. A few changes of clothes and some minor school supplies was all he had to his name. 

"We can always go get you some things. You room is rather boring. I'm sorry about that by the way." The other one approaches, standing beside the taller one. They both look nice enough, smiling like they are actually happy not like they are trying to see happy. "We weren't sure what you would like."

"You don't have to do that. I don't get to take much with me when I leave." he sighs, remembering the nice things he had with a previous family. The Choi's. An older couple who had already adopted two children and were thinking about adopting him as well. They got him sheets with cartoon characters that he liked back then, all kinds of toys to play with, and nice clothes. Then, as always, his social worker showed up and took him away without any reason.

"We're not really planning on you leaving. And we want you to be comfortable here." the first one speaks again.

Within the hour, Baekhyun is walking tentatively around the clothing section of the department store, running his fingers over the soft fabrics of hanging sweaters and folded shirts. The skinnier man, Yixing he learned on the drive over, is following behind him, offering suggestions about what to buy. Truthfully, there have been plenty of items of clothing that he has seen that he likes. He can't bring himself to say so though. The last thing he wants is to get settled and comfortable again only to be taken away from it all.

"There must be something you like." He pulls a striped sweater off the rack, holding it out for him to see. 

"I like this." He reaches out and plucks a red and black SnapBack off the shelf. Spotting the price tag dangling off of it, he sets it back down.

"If you like it, we can get it." The man puts the sweater down and picks up the hat, situation is stylishly on Baekhyun's head. "It looks good on you."

"It's expensive thought." He argues as politely as he can. 

"We've got the money to spend, don't worry. Junmyeon and I have very good jobs. Pick out what you like. Let us worry about the money. Okay?"

All Baekhyun can do is nod and go about picking out clothes. He tries his best to pick out only a few things that aren't too expensive, insisting that the small amount of clothes in his arms is enough. After stacking the clothes in the shopping basket, they proceed through the store, meeting up with Junmyeon who had gathered up bulk packs of socks, underwear, and a couple school uniforms. Next they let Baekhyun pick out things for his bedroom. Again, the lad was a little overwhelmed with the choices and nervous that he wouldn't get to keep any of it. A few simple toys were all he picked out, nothing to extravagant or expensive.

Once they finish shopping, Junmyeon declares it too late to cook and says they are going out to eat. Baekhyun can't keep the smile off his face. It's a very rare occasion when he gets to eat out. His jaw drops when he sees the restaurant that they are parked in front of. He was expecting street food or a McDonald's. Not an actual restaurant. Inside in nice, with chopsticks and napkins on the tables and fancy menus. There are so many options to choose from that when the server comes back, he is still reading over the choices. He orders something the first thing he sees in a minor panic. The food is plentiful and delicious when it arrives. Side dishes cover the table barely leaving room for what they ordered. Baekhyun eats so fast that Yixing has to tell him to slow down, that he'll make himself if he keeps up his pace. But he can't help himself. He doesn't ever remember eating this much delicious food at once before. By the time they arrive back at the apartment, his stomach is aching badly. Forgoing settling into his room, he lies on his new bed feeling miserable in a good way. Junmyeon comes in to check on him and after he leans what's wrong, sits on the edge of the bed, rubbing the lad's belly, telling him it will help. Surprisingly it does, and lulls him to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Baekhyun can't sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **CHAPTER WARNINGS:** none

Junmyeon adjusts to having a child easier than he expected. He is still the first to rise, only now he took extra care not to be loud, knowing that the young child had trouble sleeping some nights. When he sits awake late working on his cases, he can hear the lad singing quietly to himself or playing with his toys. If he had any idea of what to do to help him sleep, he would have tried it. But he had no clue what would help, if Baekhyun even wanted the help. For all Junmyeon knew, it could be insomnia and he just may not sleep well because of that. He enjoys the mornings before the others wake, as it is the only time now that he is completely alone.

Yixing hates to admit that he is struggling to life with a child. It has nothing to do with Baekhyun. The kid is a completely joy to be around. Adorable and funny to boot. He just never realized how hard it would be for his parental instincts to kick in. It was set in his mind as he filled out all kinds of paperwork that when they finally got their child--or children--that the connection would be instant. Or at least there.

While in high school, he spent his volunteer hours at the day care centers. He had loved every minute of it, and kept up his volunteer hours through college until he got a job as an dance instructor. Bonding with those children had been easy. It took some thinking, but the best answer that he can come up with is that those were never his children, never his full responsibility. At the end of the day, they went home with their parents. Baekhyun was his child--foster child. If something happened it would be on Yixing--and Junmyeon--to fix it. That scared him. He wasn't used to having to actually deal with the problems and repercussions of anyone's actions except his own. It was an adjustment that he was getting used to.

Again he would never admit it, he was jealous of how easily Junmyeon took to Baekhyun. The lad seems to go to the other man for everything. They cook dinner together most nights, they play video games together, he asks Junmyeon with his homework help. Not that he is complaining too much about the last one. But Baekhyun seems happy going to Junmyeon with everything. So he sits backs and watches, a happy smile on his face, falling in love all over again watching his fiancé interact with their child. Sooner or later he'll make a connection with the boy.

"Yixing." A small voice breaks into his dream.

Rolling over, he ignores the voice, sinking deeper into the warmth of the blankets. 

"Yixing." A hand shaking him gently accompanies the voice.

The touch jerks him awake, sitting up before his eyes are open. "Are you okay, Baekhyun?" He asks, voice painfully thick with sleep.

"I...I had a bad dream." The reply is so quiet he barely hears it. 

"Wanna lie down with me?" He offers, holding up the covers. 

The child hesitates before crawling into the large bed. Yixing lies the blankets back into place, gently wrapping an arm around him, rubbing his back. It was late and Baekhyun started school in the morning, they both needed to rest. Sleepily, he begins to sing to the boy, a simple lullaby that his mother used to for him when he was young. After repeating the song a second time, he could hear the quiet snores drifting from Baekhyun's sleeping form. Smiling to himself, he closed his eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baekhyun worries about his first day at his new academy school.

Baekhyun tries not to be nervous as he stares as himself in the bathroom mirror. He has never been nervous on the first day of school before. But he has never been to a school like this before. This isn't just some public school. This is an elite academy. Where student have to wear uniforms and take dance classes and music classes and English is mandatory, not just an optional elective. It has to be expensive.

Junmyeon and Yixing took him on a tour of it about a week ago when they enrolled him and it was spectacular. A beautiful old building with tall ceilings and many, many classrooms. The teachers were nice, the students looked even nicer, and there were so many posters on the walls about clubs and after school activities. Choir, hip hop dance club, English club, science club, home economic, anime club, gaming club, kendo club, so many different options it made his head spin. He was told that he didn't have to join any clubs, but it was a good way to socialize.

The uniform he has to wear is brand new, causing the jacket to be stiff and difficult to move in. The tie he had to have help tying it properly. Even though Junmyeon tied it loosely, it still feels like it is choking him. The pants he has to wear aren't that bad, and the shirt is really soft. At his old school, there wasn't much of a uniform. Just rules to follow. No ripped jeans and no designs on your shirts was the basic extent of it.

Following his guardians out of the house is a bit of a chore with his backpack being stuffed to near bursting with books. He can't keep his leg from shaking as he sits in the backseat of the car.

"You okay back there, bud?" Junmyeon asks, glancing back at him. 

"I'm grand." He makes his smile extra wide to prove that he is extra fine.

"Do you want us to come in with you?" He asks as they stop outside the old building.

He wants nothing more than to say yes, cling to their hands as they all walk inside together, have them walk him to his first class so he doesn't get lost. But he's twelve years old and he's done this plenty of times before. Junmyeon and Yixing aren't even his real parents. He only been with them for a little while. There's not even a guarantee that he'll be staying with them. Getting used to them taking care of him wasn't a good idea. It would just hurt more when he gets taken away again. 

"I'll be waiting for you at three. Have a good first day, kid." Yixing smiles at him as he slides out of the car.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Minseok gets a new case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **CHAPTER WARNINGS:** none

Minseok would have been lying if he said the only reason he is stopping by Yixing and Junmyeon's is to see his friends. Honestly, he wants to check in on Baekhyun as well. But he isn't scheduled for his first meeting for another month. So this simple trip to hang out with his old college friends was a ruse to see how the trio was functioning as a newly formed family unit. His work bag is left at home, along with all professional clothing. Instead he is clad in ripped jeans, a baggy sweatshirt, sneakers, and a SnapBack.

He has to ring the buzzer twice before the door is open. Pop music is bumping from the speakers and Yixing is in the living room dancing while Baekhyun attempts to follow along.

"Minseok. I wasn't expecting you." Junmyeon smiles nervously. "I didn't think we had a home visit for a while. Xing turn the music down."

"I'm not here as your social worker. I had a free night and wanted to hang out. I brought Chinese food." He holds up the paper bag and smiles. 

"Let him in." Yixing orders, quickly crossing the room. The lean dancer pulls the shorter into a hug and into the apartment.

"Minseok-hyung. You look different." Baekhyun chides in climbing up into one of the tall kitchen chairs. "You look better like this."

"I think so too, but I can't wear this stuff to work. It'll make the other social workers jealous." He winks at the boy and smiles.

While the eat, Baekhyun does most of the talking. Telling the adults about his day at school, spending plenty of time showing off his new--although minimal--English skills. The social worker is pleased to see how nicely the preteen had taken to his new family. Not that he is thinking as Baekhyun's social worker. But if he is, he would be thinking about a way to make sure that The child stayed with his friends. Not that he is thinking about that at all. Instead he asks how the dance studio is coming along, thinking back to the old days of when he used to dance with the Chinese man back in college.

"You'd think that after all the years of training and practicing, Johnny and Taemin would want to do more than just teach." Yixing shrugs a shoulder, stabbing his chopsticks into a container of rice. "Things just haven't been the same around the studio since Luhan left."

"I heard that he was offered a job back in China. I honestly didn't think he'd take it. He was so fond of everything here." Minseok puts in. 

"Better offers in China, I guess." The older sighs.

"You're not gonna go back to China are you?" Baekhyun asks, looking nervously up from his plate. 

"Never in a million years would I leave you or Junmyeon behind."

Minseok can't hide the smile that crosses his face at the words. Sadly his phone rings, causing him to leave the table before seeing any further interaction. As he answers the call he reminds himself he is there only as a friend and it's completely fine to miss something. That it is none of his business anyway until he is their social worker again.

"What do you mean?" He asks, chewing his lip at the information his boss just told him. "Yes, sir...I'll be right there."

Sighing, he exists the bathroom, shoving his phone back into the pocket of his ripped jeans.

"I've gotta go. Work emergency." He tells the small family, trying to ignore the disappointment on all of their faces. He knows it has been far too long since he has gotten to spend any real time with his friends, but as a social worker, he is always on call if an emergency arises.

Minseok doesn't have time to stop at home to change or even to grab his work bag before he heads for the police station, where his new case is waiting for him. He curses himself over and over again for not keeping his bag or a professional change of clothes in his car. God only knows what the police officers are thinking when he walks into the station. It's bad enough that he's rather short with a baby face, even in nice clothes some people have a hard time taking him seriously. After far too long talking to the petty receptionist and trying to prove that he is in fact the social worker on call, he is led back to an interrogation room.

A small boy sits alone at the table, his feet kicking under the table. An empty plate and a half empty bottle of juice sit in front of him. Crumbs from whatever was fed to him still cling to the corners of his mouth. 

"Hi." He says in his kindest voice, approaching the table slowly. "I'm Minseok."

"I'm Jongdae." The young boy smiles brightly, as if he weren't alone at a police station.

"Can I sit with you?" He asks, waiting for the little boy to nod before taking a seat across from him. "Do you know where you are, Jongdae?"

"At the jjab-sae station." He says easily, reaching for his juice.

"Do you know where your parents are?" He asks his questions carefully, as always, despite how relaxed this child seems. Most are scared or jumpy or crying. Jongdae sits comfortably in the chair, like being alone is nothing new to him.

"Daddy left before I was born. Momma says he's a rat bastard and we don't need him anyway."

"Okay...what about Momma? Where is she?"

At that question Jongdae falters slightly. "...she said to wait for her at the park. She's gonna be mad when she comes back and I'm not there. She'll be real mad. Minseok-ssi, I need to go back."

"Jongdae. How long were you at the park?"

"I...I don't know. Two sleeps. I think. I don't remember."

Minseok takes in the appearance of the child. The dirtiness of his clothes and the greasiness of his hair. The dark circles under his eyes. The way he holds himself, trying to judge in anyway how long the child might have been alone. In some life, the oversized shirt he wears may have been white, now it was a stained grey with dark brown spots all over. His fingernails are bit down and covered in mud. All signs point to being alone at the park for more than a couple nights.

"Jongdae." He starts slowly. "You're gonna come with me for a while. I'm gonna take you home and get you cleaned up and then we'll find you some place nice to stay."

"But what if Momma comes back to the park looking for me and I'm not there?" He asks frantically. 

"It'll be okay." He reassures the boy with a smile.

Standing up, he holds his hand out to the child, who takes it easily and follows him out of the police station.


End file.
